https://abc7ny.com/woman-set-on-fire-elderly-attack-89-year-old-attacked-bensonhurst-crime/6333749/

On Friday, July 14 in the Bensonhurst neighborhood of Brooklyn, NY, an 89-year old Asian woman was assaulted and SET ON FIRE by two people in masks. The police are not classifying this as a hate crime, despite the fact nothing led up to this, she didn’t know them, and they didn’t try to take her wallet. 

Not having this heinous act classified as a hate crime changes the way in which the police investigate, and it minimizes the context of racism Asians experience in this country. It’s ERASURE. 

Enough. This could have been any one of our mothers, grandmothers, aunties, or friends. This failure to keep us safe from pandemic and racism should anger everyone. 

We want:

• The NYPD Precinct 62 and Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez to classify this incident as a hate crime.
• NYC City Council Member Justin Brannan of Bensonhurst to take action and work with the City Council to introduce legislation to change what constitutes a hate crime to better protect people who are targeted for their race.

OTHER WAYS YOU CAN HELP

• Contact Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez and the Brooklyn DA’s Action Center at (718) 250-2340 or email DAAction@Brooklynda.org.
• Participate in our campaign on social media to hold the NYPD 62nd Precinct accountable for classifying the incident in Bensonhurst as a hate crime. Share a picture of your own Grandmother and use the hashtags #TheyCan’tBurnUsAll, #RacismIsAVirus, and #IAmNotAVirus and show who these racist hate crimes could harm. Tag the 62nd Precinct @NYPD62Pct on Facebook and Twitter, and @NYPD on Instagram.
• Take it one step further and get our elders registered to vote locally and nationally by participating in initiatives from APIAvote.org.